I noticed this circular crop mark straddling a hedge boundary between fields and wondered what it most likely was. It is about 25 metres diameter and appears to have an inner ring of about 20 metres although only the left half is visible in image. There appears to be a path or track to it from the south west. It is located towards the top of a ridge and furrow ploughed hill with a brook less than 200 metres away. It does not show at all on Lidar. Any ideas?

Can clearly see the right hand side of circle in top photo, although it does not stand out as prominently. The right hand side also has an inner circle of approx half diameter showing. Second photo has a possible entrance on the right hand side, showing at between 2 & 3 o`clock
Might be worth checking on a Geo ref map or old map to see how long that field boundary has been there. Have also had parch marks show up that aren`t on Lidar.
If field boundary is old, could be interesting.
Good Luck with your research ,
Dave.

Interesting....especially given the size and the fact a boundary goes through it. So that rules out those feeding cages for cows being in position there.

As Dave says...check other maps. Also other satellite images from google history and other mapping sites ( Bing Maps) because they are taken at other times of year with different ground conditions so will eliminate random markings that are purely temporary. If it shows up on more than one then you are probably onto something.

Further GE historic maps revealed two more paths leading to this, one leads to what look like possibly 6 or so clustered smaller circular crop marks. It is on a part of my new permission where I have not been yet, guess where my first search will be next time?

The key to understanding what is happening here is in the second pic ... there is an as yet unexplained mark leading from left to the edge of the "circle" ... understand that and you will be well on your way to explaining the topology.

Another possible explanation is that it is a filled-in Dew Pond. Depends on the location, but I remember there were quite a lot of them in the Peak District and other areas of limestone or chalk.
Originally they were lined with clay (and then in more recent times some of them were lined with concrete) and obviously used for watering animals. Quite a few were dissected by boundary fences when the open fields were enclosed in the 18th century. This being so that both fields had access to the water.
The path could well be an old path worn by stock as they went to drink.
Dew ponds are fascinating and mysterious and many of them are thought to have ancient origins.

I see. I both photos left hand side. A curved shape like the left hand side of a 6

Right hand side. Top photo. Top right I see a mass of lines (looks interesting) some straight some curved. There does appear as if a small section might be on the same curve but if you cover it with your thumb I can't see anything either side.

Right hand side. Second photo. To the right I see the corner of a square.

Could it be a"fairy ring" I have seen these in the past on grassland? It may explain the circle if it's dead or well pronounced grass. Just something to consider perhaps, hope it does turn out to be something, eye on the ground on site will tell more.

Going by the shadow of the hedge I don't think it's depicting a hump or hollow in the ground, looks level to me, a lidar image may help

Visited site today, the ring is actually a darker green grass so maybe getting more water or nutrients than the rest. Fairy circle or filled in ring ditch maybe? The pasture is too dry to detect responsibly at present until we have more rain so as not to kill the grass. Just half of the large circle up to the hedgerow shown in these pics, should be self evident. All thoughts welcome.

Looks clearer in real life. To me looks like a ditch because land inside ring appears to be higher suddenly rather than gradually. Did you think the same when you were there ?

It seemed to be about the same level but it was all ridge and furrow ploughed long ago so there is some unevenness. There is about a 2 foot drop on the outer edge of the circle at the tree line in the last pic as it goes down the hill. There did appear to be a gap about where that south west path joins it (2nd original pic), but that path was not visible today, so could be coincidental.

Looks clearer in real life. To me looks like a ditch because land inside ring appears to be higher suddenly rather than gradually. Did you think the same when you were there ?

It seemed to be about the same level but it was all ridge and furrow ploughed long ago so there is some unevenness. There is about a 2 foot drop on the outer edge of the circle at the tree line in the last pic as it goes down the hill. There did appear to be a gap about where that south west path joins it (2nd original pic), but that path was not visible today, so could be coincidental.

Did you manage to figure out what the path leading up to the edge of the circle was all about? and did you get to ask the farmer about it?

Did you manage to figure out what the path leading up to the edge of the circle was all about? and did you get to ask the farmer about it?

I think that the whole picture is slowly becoming clearer. The diagonal lines appear to align with what I assume is an older field system to the south, parallel to the main road which are at 45 degrees to the northern fields, so those diagonals might be older field boundaries. The northern fields orientations now slope down to a main brook and were ridge and furrow ploughed which continues through present northern field boundaries. Hope that makes sense. I have not met the farmer yet, only spoken initially on the phone. I will see what history of the land he has soon.
These overlays are made from aerial images from different years. The electrical powerlines NW to SE are not a factor.

Just noticed that in the top pic there is a shadow visible on the trees where the circle bisects the hedge ...??? that is weird...

The circle shadow alignment crossing the hedge does seem strange. On site visit today I should have really paid more attention to it. I did notice a couple of small gaps in the otherwise consistent hawthorn hedgerow which may quite possibly have aligned with "shadows". If so then then the hedge chose not to grow there which is quite the opposite of expected, and agreed that would be really weird. The pasture is really too dry to dig at present, which was the agreement with farmer only when suitable, it is located exactly half way up the hill with a layer of seemingly chalky sub soil. This phenomenon is quite intriguing, may take dog for walk there for further exploration in the mean time. I find it all quite interesting, it is surprising what starts out as a simple hobby then escalates with finds research into a learning curve in history, geography as well as lots of puzzle solving.

Last edited by Easylife on Wed Jun 21, 2017 1:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

I did wonder if it was a now a ploughed out round barrow which was once used as the previous field boundary junction.

That is what I would have said too. Saw a similar one once on Time Team that was a Bronze Age barrow that had appeared to have remained an important place through Roman times and beyond. However, like others, I would expect it to show up on Lidar. Is it on high ground?

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I did wonder if it was a now a ploughed out round barrow which was once used as the previous field boundary junction.

That is what I would have said too. Saw a similar one once on Time Team that was a Bronze Age barrow that had appeared to have remained an important place through Roman times and beyond. However, like others, I would expect it to show up on Lidar. Is it on high ground?

It is about exactly midway up on the quite shallow side of a hill which is really quite steep on the other side being maybe a good 45 degree that you would not care to walk up it at all. I would have thought that the location of this and the smaller 5 metre circular markings atop the hill are maybe too coincidental to all be fairy circles, though possible, time will tell hopefully. If it was a barrow of approx 20 metres then yes, you would think that it would still show on Lidar even after much ploughing, but it does not. Unusually for a largish farm, well only 280 acres of land, a location of which I can find no history at all on my usual sources, probably same as yours. I think it is time to actually meet the farmer, have a friendly chat and see what he historically knows about his land.

I think it is time to actually meet the farmer, have a friendly chat and see what he historically knows about his land.

I think that time was about 10 posts before there. When you took the pictures, i would already been hunting it.
These are the spots you must try. No matter if the give or not.

It is a very recent permission I have, ground was so dry then that grass would die for sure and that was the farmers main concern. I respect that so do not want to chance losing the land as there is a lot of it showing good potential. It is my call to wait for rain then go for it, land will still be there. Farmer was on holiday when I discovered and first posted this, should be back now so will make some enquiries at weekend to see what history he knows.

Now that ground has softened just a bit, I ventured back on for a couple of hours. On my way to investigate the large circular feature my first target was a complete ringing crotal bell, though small and undecorated, a most welcome find. I only managed three lines of searching within the large circular feature, working out from the hedge before being joined by about 30 inquisitive bullocks. So then moved on to what I have named "The coin field", due to about 75% of targets being coins, though being small at only about one acre, sure enough I found myself digging coins again though less often than previously, there cannot be too many left now.
In the circular feature, apart from the usual pasture finds, were the pictured finds - the loop is of a silver coloured metal and on the Deus reads about 70 so maybe not much copper content but looks horse related. The other three items are of copper alloy the smaller one being tooth shaped (like cow or horse) reading 86 and unusually appears to be calcified with a white appearance. One appears to be part of a bronze vessel,which reads 83. The one which I think most interesting is the bottom left, which appears to be the broken off rounded tip of something. It is copper alloy/bronze, reads 87 and of shallow triangular section with a slight curve to the inside which follows the length, I have no idea about it so any suggestions are welcome. If this circular feature was once a round barrow it is likely spread quite far, time will maybe tell. More rain is needed.